From the President, October 2018

From the President, October 2018

The End is Near

Well, it’s more accurate to say the ends are near, but that just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

As you know, Peoples Church is two years into its developmental ministry. Its overarching goal is to help us build on our existing strengths and shift those organizational behaviors that do not serve us well.

The first specific DM goal addresses governance: who is responsible for what; who is accountable to whom; and what appropriate limitations–and options–exist for staff, Board, volunteers, and the congregation as a whole.

Good governance is rooted in having clearly articulated congregational values (check); a compelling mission (check); and inspiring goals rooted in both values and mission (check!!).

Yes, it’s true: your Board listened to your comments and developed five broad goals, or “end statements”, that will serve as a lens through which we’ll view our future decision-making on behalf of Peoples Church. End statements address the following questions:

What difference do we want to make?

For whom?

What resources are we willing and able to devote to this work?

You’ve given the Board great input throughout the developmental ministry process, and here’s the latest result: the first draft of end statements for Peoples Church, 2018:

We partner with others to build a fair and just world.

We create a spiritual home that welcomes everyone of good will.

Together we create transformative worship experiences that awaken compassionate action.

We articulate our UU faith, teach it to our children, and live it in the world.

We support our Mission through compassionate presence, talented participation, and financial resources.

As one aspect of good governance, the Board will use these five end statements as our decision-making compass for the next 3 to 5 years.

And, as another aspect of good governance, you’ll be able to rely on these end statements when you’re looking for ways to make a difference as a member of Peoples Church.

In other words, if there’s something you would like to see Peoples get involved in, you’ll be able to ask yourself, “Which end statement(s) would this project/program address?” A clear answer will make it easy to approach the Board and make a good case for how and why your idea fits into where we, as a church, are going.

This is a very different way of operating than we’ve had before, and it’s likely to take some getting used to. And that’s okay. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, track down a Board member and talk to him or her.

Better yet, join us at the Forum on October 14th. Starting at 9:45, the Board will talk more about our end statements, what they’ll enable Peoples to accomplish, and what role each of us plays in reaching those goals.

So get the 14th on your calendar and come join us for a highly caffeinated conversation about that sexiest of topics: end statements.